Donald Trump has officially taken the oath of office as the 47th president of the United States, marking a dramatic return to the White House after a fierce comeback in November’s election.

In his inauguration speech, Trump pledged to revive the American dream while painting a picture of the nation’s current challenges under his predecessor’s leadership.

The swearing-in ceremony, held on Monday, featured a 29-minute address where Trump vowed to usher in a “golden age” for America.

Here are five major takeaways from the inauguration:

Kicking off his speech with a sense of hope, Trump declared: “The golden age of America begins right now. From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected.”This tone was a sharp contrast to his inauguration speech eight years ago when he described a country crippled by foreign exploitation and economic struggles.

However, his optimism soon gave way to a fiery critique of the state of the nation, as he described a “radical and corrupt establishment” incapable of handling crises like the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles.

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2. Policies straight out of the gate

Unlike many presidents who use their inauguration speeches to preach unity, Trump wasted no time diving into specifics.

He rolled out a long list of policy promises, leaving no doubt about his plans for the first 100 days.

Key among his pledges was declaring a national emergency at the southern border, which he said would tackle illegal immigration head-on. Trump also vowed to sign an executive order to “immediately stop censorship and bring back free speech in America.”

He reiterated his stance on deploying troops for stricter immigration enforcement, a campaign promise that resonated with his base.

Reflecting on a dramatic episode from his campaign, Trump recalled surviving an attempted assassination just months earlier.

He shared how a bullet narrowly missed him during a rally in Pennsylvania, leaving him convinced that divine intervention had saved his life.” I was saved by God to make America great again,” he said, drawing loud cheers from his supporters.

The incident, which many consider one of the most shocking moments of his political career, underscored his narrative of being a leader chosen for a higher purpose.

Trump didn’t limit his ambitions to American soil. He announced bold plans for overseas dominance, including an eyebrow-raising claim about the Panama Canal. The president falsely asserted that China controls the canal and vowed to take it back for the United States, despite the fact that Panama holds full sovereignty over it.

Turning his gaze to the stars, Trump promised to plant the American flag on Mars as part of the country’s “manifest destiny.” His comment drew a grin from tech mogul Elon Musk, a long-time advocate of space exploration, who was present at the ceremony.

One of the loudest moments of applause from the crowd came when Trump addressed social issues. He announced that it would now be the official policy of the US government to recognise only two genders: male and female.”We will create a nation that is colour-blind and merit-based,” Trump said, emphasising his commitment to push back against what he called the “social engineering” of race and gender in public and private life.